Clasp



F. HEADON Sept. 5, 1950 CLASP Filed Nov.v 18, 1944 FIG. 4.

FIG. 6.

v FIG. 2.

. INVENTOR. FRANK HEADON BY S@ ,4mm

Hfs ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 5, 1950 ,UNITED STATES' PATENT l Y 2,521,456V i f l cLAsP Frank Headon, New York, N. Y. Application November 18, 1944, Serial N o; 564,030

' v 9 claims. (cl. 24e-245) 4 The present invention relates to clasps or fasteners adapted for holding material including fabricand the like and more particularlyA for clamping and holding wearing apparel such as thin hose or stockings. This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 500,899, filed September 2, 1943, (now Patent No. 2,363,322, November 21, 1944).

An important object of the invention isto provide novel and advantageous devices which are effective for the general purposes indicated.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide `a novelv and simple Vform of clasp adapted to clamp thin fabrics without damage thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and advantageous device of the general charactel` indicated which is of very simple construction and is economical to manufacture.

`Still another object of the invention is to provide a thin clasp in which there are two curved resilient members which may be clamped together by suitable longitudinal flexing thereof` followed by a return from said ilexed condition, and when clamped are held against Vrelative transverse movement.

A further object of the invention is to'provide a thin clasp comprising two thin curved plates having cooperating means at their ends rendered effective by flexing whereby the curved plates will not only be held against separation but will also be held against relative transverse move'- ment edgewise thereof.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a clasp comprising two thin longitudinally curved plates which may be clamped together at their ends by proper` exing and release, and may be held against relatively edgewise mofvement by a pivot at one side on which the two clasp plates are pivotally mounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clasp comprising two thin longitudinally curved plates which may bysuitable ilexing and release be clamped together at their ends with the concave face of one plate cooperating'with the convex face of the other plate and held against relative redgewise movement, by engagement of a part or parts on the edge of each plate with an edge of the other plate.

According toY a preferred manner of'carrying out the invention, use may be made of two thin longitudinally curved members or plates of resilient material, such as a suitable plastic material in its nished form. The inner plate has convex curved ends with their edges undercut withreference to the convex face and the outer plate has a longitudinally concave inner face andatthe ends of this concave face inwardly concave'curved shoulders to engage the undercut curved ends oi the inner plate. This arrangement servesnot' only to lock the. plates' together but also-to prevent relative edgewise movement of the plates-l Such exing of the plates 'is effected by straight. enng them so as to sprea'd'the shoulders apart: and then when upon releasethe shoulders come toward each other they willengage the 'curved edges at the ends ofthe inner plate. The plates will then be lockedtogether and the curved engaging surfaceat the ends will .preventl relative edgewise movement/L Both of the plates may be provided With central openings, thus'rendeifi'ng them more'exible and capable of relative adjustment and serving to render'the device less conspicuous. Both Yplates may be providedwith means for `supporting the sameu The clasped materialis of course clasped between Athe -plates and allowance must be made for the `thickness: ofthefabric. -V According to a second form the engaging ends and shoulders are straight and the plates 'may be held in proper longitudinal and transverse relations by means of a pivot passing. through.r aligned openings in projections at ,the edges of. the plates and in engagement withv each other. According. to a second formthe .engaging ends and shoulders are straight and theiplatesr arev held 'againsttransverse edgewiseA movement -byone y or more projections at the edfge of each member and engaging an edge of'the zother. Other-objects, features land advantages :will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and of the drawings in which Fig. 1v is a front elevation of adevice embodying' the present invention; f Y 1 Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along'the line 2'-2ofFig.l; w

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the -line 3-:3 ofFig.1; Y Fig. 4 is a view on a larger scale off-the struc-' ture at an end of Fig. 2 showing a piece ofV fabric held between the plates; Y I l v Fig. 5 is afront elevation of anotherl or secondl clasp embodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a Ysection taken along thelin'e of Fig. 5; y L

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 1'12 of Fig; 5; Fig'. -8-v is a front elevation of another or third.V formof clasp and Y Y 4embadymg the present ivenimili iront face2 of therear plate infclasping material;

such as fabric I3 (Fig. 4i).

To hold the two plates together in claspingA position, the front plate I2 is made longer than-- the rear plate II and is provided at its innern or concave face near its ends with inwardly faeing shoulders I4 to cooperate with outwardly tac. ing' shoulders I5 constitutingl the end. surfacesvofj. the rear plate II. Due particularly to the longitudinal curvature of the rear plate II its.l ends` or shoulders I5 may be considered as under-cut. pressing plates, I.I and. I?. together and suit. ably. iexing. themthe shoulder- I4. may bebrought to.. positions to produce e. locking. Cooperationthereof through, fabric I3,

To guardagainstrelative transverse movement of plates LI. and I2,I the shoulders I4 and I5 may beinitiallvshaped transversely of the plates as by. making theshoulders.. Ilof concave transverse curvatore` and. theshoulders I5. of corresponding convex curvature. Preferably both plates II` and l2. areoffgenerallv Qvalshape with.svmmetrica.n 1v Curved.. ends and with. the central portions thereof' in. substantiel. coincidence and adapted. to engagek opposite faces o f the fabric.

The plates II and I 2 may also be provided with central openings I'- and Il' (Fig. 2) respec; tivelyl which may be ofl oval shape and of substantial-ly the saigne size. These 'openings serve to render the plates II4 and I2 more flexible thus enabling better adjustment therebetween in clamping the fabric. To support the clasp lil, plate III* is provided at one side edge with a projection or lug I8 having a, slot I9 therethrough, plate I24is vprovided witha corresponding projection 20 with a slot ZI, and a, tape 22 is passed through bothslots I9- and 2I-. Obviouslyseparate tapesv might be used in slots I9 and 2.I but a. single tape tends to maintain the parts in.

proper relative. position.

InA the modification illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7g, there isa curved rear plate I Ia. having straight ends- 1.5.11 and a. front. plate. IzZc. having at the,

ends of its. inner. face inwardly facing straight shouldersim; to cooperate with said straight ends |.5.a.` .In this; iorm relative transverse movement of plates Ha; and 12a is prevented-by means 0ithe Suspension means. To this end the rear plate Ila. is provided at. one. Side edge .midway of, its length with a single extension or lug Idd having at.` itsouterz .end a. here |80. extending through the lug from edge to edge to receive a p ivot. pin 23 which. also.. rasees.. through leeres. .2.00. in lues 20a extending from the corresponding side edges of;p1ate:.I2c-e1icl with. parte thereof erieeeirie partsof lue; 18a to. hold the nietes; in. propel.' relative position longitudinellyV thereof. N pivot pin 2,3 may. be supported in, anysuitable manner as by abail 2-4 eeunectedte the., ends Qf pivot ein. 2?.. and a tape. 21.paesiris therethrough In the form illustrated in Figs. 8 andv 9, the plates lib. and lZb-arerrovided respectivelvwith straight ends I5b and straight shoulders No and the. rearplete provided with en openinglsb to renderl .it .more iiexible.-

principal diefence between this form and that of Fig. 6 resides 4 in the manner f supporting the plates IIb and I2b. As illustrated the rear plate IIb has an upwardly extending central lug I8b which also projects forwardly over the upper edge of plate I2b and the front plate I2b has at opposite sides of lug I8b, upwardly extending lugs 20o which project rearwardly above the upper edge of plate IIb. Also the lug I8b has a slot [9b t0 receive a tape and the lugs 20h have slots 2lb to receive tapes?, Aslillustrated thecentral lug |81)v on the rear plate Hb has a broad base andv is Atapered at both ends so that it decreases in width toward the top. Also the lugs 29h have broad bases so as to overlap the base of Ib at opposite sides, and the inner edges of lugs 20h are inclined so that the. lugsI decrease in width toward the top. Due to this, arrangement the parts projecting from these lugs over the adjacent plates must be cut away to correspond. This arrangement tends to avoid too sharp bends in the fabric.

The oeeratieeoffelosine and Opening. the. clasps is substantially-the-same in all forms. The, closine; may' be1eiietted-.liv grasping the front. elle rearv plates. at b oth ends, flexing both plates toI straighten them and releasing. the ilexing. pres.

sure. while maintaining theA ends inA their engaged position, The unclasping action may, be carried;

out by taking one endfof the front plate and flex. ing this plate until it releases the rear plate. Or both. ends of the front plate. may be grasped at the same time to iiex the same and releasethe clasp.

It should. be. understood that various changes.

L its rear face with inwardly-facing shoulders forl locking cooperation with said ends of the rear plate through thin material such as fabric, and.A means for -supporting said clamp at one'side thereof. Y

2. The combination according to claim` 1 in which at. the support edge of said clamp said inf.

ner and outer plates are hinged together.

3. She combination according to claim 1 in which a pivot pinv passes longitudinally of the clasp through lugs projecting upwardly from the front and rear. plates and having edge contact therebetween and a supporting device for saidk pil/Qt ein is. connected. thereta 4. The combination according to claim -1 in which alternately arranged lugs project from the upper. sides of the front and rear plates anrlatl their upper ends are slotted and extend laterally over theA edges of the adjacent plates toV prevent relative. transverse movement.

5. The 'combination according to claim `l in which alternately. arranged lugs project from` transversely and said shoulders are concave transversely of the outer plate.

7. The combination according to claim 1 in which the ends of said rear plate are symmetrically curved and the edges of said shoulders are symmetrically curved to fit over the ends of the rear plate. Y

8. The combination according to claim 1 in which the rear and front plates are of oval shape and of the same width and the front plate is of greater length `and the inwardly-facing shoulders at the ends of its rear face are curved to cooperate withthe ends of said rear plate.

9. The combination according to claim 1 Wherein the undercut shoulders of the rear plate and the cooperating inwardly-facing shoulders at the rear face of the outer plate are provided with means to prevent relative lateral movement be tween the plates.

FRANK HEADON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

